1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technique in which a managing apparatus manages an image processing apparatus, such as a copier, a scanner, a printer, a facsimile machine, or a multifunction peripheral, through a computer network.
2) Description of the Related Art
Image processing apparatuses such as copiers, scanners, printers, facsimile machines and multifunction peripherals, which execute more than one of these functions, include consumable products such as a photosensitive drum and toner. The consumable products are the products that need to be replaced when they are exhausted.
The copiers and the printers include a mechanism that feeds sheets of paper on which the image is to be printed. Such a paper feeding mechanism has a large number of rollers, and is complicated. There is a possibility that sheets are jammed between rollers, and hence, periodical maintenance is necessary.
Normally, when sheets are jammed and to fix the problem is out of the user's hands, a service call is made. The user explains details of the problem by telephone and requests a dispatch of the serviceman. Such a procedure can be troublesome and time-consuming.
A performance charge system is often used in some offices to charge customers for the number of copies made by a copier. In this system, a person-in-charge must either check an output counter of the copier, or request the user to inform of a value of the output counter. Such procedure is troublesome, both for the person-in-charge and for the user, and increases service costs.
Thereupon, various systems have been proposed for managing conditions of an image processing apparatus such as the copier and the facsimile machine at a remote location. For example, the following systems have been proposed.
(1) A system in which an analysis apparatus connected to an image processing apparatus through dialup lines, analyzes and fixes a problem concerning a function of the image processing apparatus is proposed in Re-issued U.S. Pat. No. 34,842, U.S. Pat. No. 5,412,779, U.S. Pat. No. 5,537,554, U.S. Pat. No. 5,544,289, U.S. Pat. No. 5,774,678, and Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. H6-237330. However, in order to introduce such a system, a new telephone line for managing the image processing apparatus must be added, thereby increasing setup cost in some cases. Thus, this system has not become popular.
(2) A system for remote controlling a copier having a facsimile function through dialup lines is proposed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. H5-244327 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. H6-178026. This system has a merit that since the telephone line originally included in the facsimile machine is used, it is unnecessary to add another telephone line when the system is introduced. However, this system cannot be applied to a copier, a printer and the like, which do not have the facsimile function. Further, while data for managing the image formation apparatus is transmitted over the telephone line, the original functions of the facsimile machine such as sending and receiving facsimile messages cannot be used.
(3) A system in which a special-purpose information collecting apparatus for collectively managing one or more image formation apparatuses connected to local area network (LAN) is proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,887,216. The information collecting apparatus sends and receives management information or the like to and from a managing apparatus at a remote location. In this system, even if the number of image formation apparatuses connected to the LAN increases, it is unnecessary to increase the telephone line. However, if the number of image formation apparatuses increases, it is necessary to install an additional special-purpose information collecting apparatus, thereby increasing cost. Alternatively, it is possible to provide a facsimile machine in the LAN with the information collecting and managing function instead of the special-purpose information collecting apparatus. However, there is a problem in that functions of the facsimile machine cannot be performed, like in the system (2).
(4) A system in which an image formation apparatus sends an E-mail including management information concerning the image formation apparatus to a managing apparatus, thereby enabling managing and checking of the image formation apparatus from a remote location, is proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,909,493. It is unnecessary to add a telephone line and thus cost thereof does not increase. However, it is necessary to provide each image formation apparatus that is to be managed with an E-mail address, and to request the Internet service provider (ISP) to provide an E-mail address. Further, as E-mails are generally sent through a mail server, the information does not reach the managing apparatus immediately in some cases. Therefore, there is a problem that in case of an emergency notice, such as occurrence of an abnormal condition, whether the notice has reached the managing apparatus cannot be confirmed, and eventually, it becomes necessary to contact the managing apparatus by telephone.